Handheld electronic device and method for taking photo by handheld electronic device

ABSTRACT

A handheld electronic device includes a casing; a camera unit disposed in the casing; a light sensing unit disposed in the casing; and a processing unit disposed in the casing and electrically connected to the camera unit and the light sensing unit, the processing unit determining whether the light sensing unit is covered continuously for a predetermined time period, the processing unit driving the camera unit to take a photo when the light sensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined time period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a handheld electronic device and a method fortaking a photo by the handheld electronic device and, more particularly,to a handheld electronic device capable of avoiding taking a blurredphoto and a method for taking a photo by the handheld electronic device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As technology advances and develops, lots of handheld electronic devices(e.g. mobile phone, personal digital assistant, tablet computer, etc.)are equipped with a camera unit for taking photos. In general, a usermay press a physical button on the handheld electronic device or avirtual button provided by a touch panel to drive the camera unit totake a photo. However, when the user presses the physical or virtualbutton, the handheld electronic device may be vibrated or shaken, suchthat the photo may be blurred due to out of focus, vibration orbackground shifting. Furthermore, other prior arts drive the camera unitto take a photo through voice control. However, the user has to openhis/her mouth to make a voice command for driving the camera unit, afacial expression of the user may be unnatural.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a handheld electronic device capable of avoidingtaking a blurred photo and a method for taking a photo by the handheldelectronic device, so as to solve the aforesaid problems.

According to the claimed invention, a handheld electronic devicecomprises a casing, a camera unit, a light sensing unit and a processingunit. The camera unit is disposed in the casing. The light sensing unitis disposed in the casing. The processing unit is disposed in the casingand electrically connected to the camera unit and the light sensingunit. The processing unit determines whether the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for a predetermined time period. The processingunit drives the camera unit to take a photo when the light sensing unitis covered continuously for the predetermined time period.

According to the claimed invention, the handheld electronic devicefurther comprises a motion sensing unit disposed in the casing andelectrically connected to the processing unit. The motion sensing unitsenses a motion of the casing. The processing unit determines whetherthe motion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second.The processing unit drives the camera unit to take a photo when thelight sensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined timeperiod and the motion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degreeper second.

According to the claimed invention, the motion sensing unit is a gyro, ag-sensor or a combination thereof.

According to the claimed invention, the handheld electronic devicefurther comprises a display unit disposed in the casing and electricallyconnected to the processing unit. The display unit displays a settinginterface. The setting interface is used to turn on or turn off avibration reduction function. When the vibration reduction function isturned off, the processing unit determines whether to drive the cameraunit to take a photo according to whether the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period. When thevibration reduction function is turned on, the processing unitdetermines whether to drive the camera unit to take a photo according towhether the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period and whether the motion of the casing is withinplus and minus 1 degree per second.

According to the claimed invention, a method for taking a photo by ahandheld electronic device is provided. The handheld electronic devicecomprises a camera unit, a light sensing unit and a processing unit. Theprocessing unit is electrically connected to the camera unit and thelight sensing unit. The method comprises steps of covering the lightsensing unit; the processing unit determining whether the light sensingunit is covered continuously for a predetermined time period; and theprocessing unit driving the camera unit to take a photo when the lightsensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined time period.

According to the claimed invention, the handheld electronic devicefurther comprises a casing and a motion sensing unit. The camera unit,the light sensing unit, the processing unit and the motion sensing unitare disposed in the casing. The motion sensing unit is electricallyconnected to the processing unit. The method further comprises steps ofthe motion sensing unit sensing a motion of the casing; the processingunit determining whether the motion of the casing is within plus andminus 1 degree per second; and the processing unit driving the cameraunit to take a photo when the light sensing unit is covered continuouslyfor the predetermined time period and the motion of the casing is withinplus and minus 1 degree per second.

According to the claimed invention, the motion sensing unit is a gyro, ag-sensor or a combination thereof.

According to the claimed invention, the handheld electronic devicefurther comprises a display unit disposed in the casing and electricallyconnected to the processing unit. The method further comprises steps ofthe display unit displaying a setting interface, wherein the settinginterface is used to turn on or turn off a vibration reduction function;when the vibration reduction function is turned off, the processing unitdetermining whether to drive the camera unit to take a photo accordingto whether the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period; and when the vibration reduction function isturned on, the processing unit determining whether to drive the cameraunit to take a photo according to whether the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period and whether themotion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second.

As mentioned in the above, when the vibration reduction function isturned off, the invention may determine whether to drive the camera unitto take a photo according to whether the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period (e.g. 1 second, 3seconds, etc.). When a user wants to use the handheld electronic deviceof the invention to take a photo, the user may cover the light sensingunit by a finger. At this time, the processing unit determines that thelight sensing unit has been covered. When the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period, the processingunit drives the camera unit to take a photo accordingly. Since the useronly has to cover the light sensing unit by the finger without any pressmotion, the invention can avoid vibrating or shaking the handheldelectronic device, so as to avoid taking a blurred photo due to out offocus, vibration or background shifting. Furthermore, when the vibrationreduction function is turned on, the invention may determine whether todrive the camera unit to take a photo according to whether the lightsensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined time periodand whether the motion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degreeper second. In other words, when the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period and the motion of thecasing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second, the processing unitdrives the camera unit to take a photo accordingly. On the other hand,when the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period but the motion of the casing is beyond plusand minus 1 degree per second, the processing unit will not drive thecamera unit to take a photo. Therefore, the invention can further avoidtaking a blurred photo if the user does not hold the handheld electronicdevice stably.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt becomeobvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading thefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodiment that isillustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a handheld electronic deviceaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating the handheldelectronic device shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the light sensing unit shownin FIG. 1 covered by a finger of a user.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a setting interface displayedby the display unit shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for taking a photo by thehandheld electronic device according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method for taking a photo by thehandheld electronic device according to another embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating ahandheld electronic device 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating thehandheld electronic device 1 shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,the handheld electronic device 1 comprises a casing 10, a camera unit12, a light sensing unit 14, a processing unit 16, a motion sensing unit18 and a display unit 20, wherein the camera unit 12, the light sensingunit 14, the processing unit 16, the motion sensing unit 18 and thedisplay unit 20 are disposed in the casing 10, and the processing unit16 is electrically connected to the camera unit 12, the light sensingunit 14, the motion sensing unit 18 and the display unit 20.

In practical applications, the handheld electronic device 1 may be anelectronic device with data processing and photo taking functions, suchas a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a tablet computer,etc.; the camera unit 12 may be a camera module including acharge-coupled device (CCD) sensor or a complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) sensor; the light sensing unit 14 may be a lightsensor for sensing an environmental light; the processing unit 16 may bea processor or controller with data calculating/processing function; themotion sensing unit 18 may be a gyro, a g-sensor or a combinationthereof; and the display unit 20 may be a liquid crystal display deviceor other display devices. In general, the handheld electronic device 1may be further equipped with some necessary hardware or softwarecomponents for specific purposes, such as a memory, a power supply, anoperating system, applications, a communication module, an input/outputmodule, etc., and it depends on practical applications.

Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating thelight sensing unit 14 shown in FIG. 1 covered by a finger 3 of a user.As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, when a user operates the handheld electronicdevice 1 to turn on the camera unit 12, the user can use the finger 3 tocover the light sensing unit 14, so as to drive the camera unit 12 totake a photo. When the light sensing unit 14 is covered, the lightsensing unit 14 will not sense the environmental light or will onlysense the environmental light lower than a threshold. At this time, theprocessing unit 16 determines that the light sensing unit 14 has beencovered. Afterwards, the processing unit 16 determines whether the lightsensing unit 14 is covered continuously for a predetermined time period(e.g. 1 second, 3 seconds, etc.). When the processing unit 16 determinesthat the light sensing unit 14 is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period, the processing unit 16 drives the camera unit12 to take a photo accordingly. On the other hand, when the processingunit 16 determines that the light sensing unit 14 is not coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period, the processing unit 16does not drive the camera unit 12 to take a photo accordingly. Since theuser only has to cover the light sensing unit 14 by the finger 3 withoutany press motion, the invention can avoid vibrating or shaking thehandheld electronic device 1, so as to avoid taking a blurred photo dueto out of focus, vibration or background shifting. In this embodiment,the light sensing unit 14 is disposed at one edge of the casing 10, suchthat the user can cover the light sensing unit 14 to take a photoconveniently. In another embodiment, the light sensing unit 14 may bedisposed at any position of the casing 10 based on practicalapplications.

It should be noted that the aforesaid predetermined time period may asystem default value or be set by the user based on his/her preference.Furthermore, when the handheld electronic device 1 is located in anenvironment with slight light, the light emitted by the display unit 20may be taken to be the aforesaid environmental light.

Referring to FIG. 4, FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating asetting interface 200 displayed by the display unit 20 shown in FIG. 1.As shown in FIG. 4, the display unit 20 may display a setting interface200, wherein the setting interface 200 is used to turn on or turn off avibration reduction function. Furthermore, the motion sensing unit 18can sense a motion of the casing 10. When the user turns on thevibration reduction function in the setting interface 200 for taking aphoto, the processing unit 16 will further determine whether the motionof the casing 10 is within plus and minus 1 degree per second for X, Yand Z axes of a three-dimensional coordinate system (as shown in FIG. 6)in addition to the determination of whether the light sensing unit 14 iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period. When theprocessing unit 16 determines that the light sensing unit 14 is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period and the motion of thecasing 10 is within plus and minus 1 degree per second for X, Y and Zaxes of the three-dimensional coordinate system, the processing unit 16drives the camera unit 12 to take a photo accordingly. On the otherhand, when the processing unit 16 determines that the light sensing unit14 is covered but the motion of the casing 10 is beyond plus and minus 1degree per second for X, Y and Z axes of the three-dimensionalcoordinate system, the processing unit 16 will not drive the camera unit12 to take a photo. Therefore, the invention can further avoid taking ablurred photo if the user does not hold the handheld electronic device 1stably.

In other words, when the vibration reduction function is turned off, theprocessing unit 16 determines whether to drive the camera unit 12 totake a photo according to whether the light sensing unit 14 is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period mainly; and when thevibration reduction function is turned on, the processing unit 16determines whether to drive the camera unit 12 to take a photo accordingto whether the light sensing unit 14 is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period and whether the motion of the casing 10 iswithin plus and minus 1 degree per second mainly.

Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method fortaking a photo by the handheld electronic device according to anembodiment of the invention. The method for taking a photo shown in FIG.5 may be implemented by the aforesaid handheld electronic device 1. Whenthe user turns off the vibration reduction function to take a photo,first of all, step S10 is performed to enter a camera mold. Afterwards,in step S12, the user covers the light sensing unit 14. Then, in stepS14, the processing unit 16 determines whether the light sensing unit 14is covered continuously for the predetermined time period. When thelight sensing unit 14 is covered continuously for the predetermined timeperiod, in step S16, the processing unit 16 drives the camera unit 12 totake a photo. When the light sensing unit 14 is not covered continuouslyfor the predetermined time period, go back to step S10. It should benoted that the other operation principles of the method for taking aphoto by the handheld electronic device of the invention are mentionedin the above and those will not be depicted herein again.

Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a method fortaking a photo by the handheld electronic device according to anotherembodiment of the invention. The method for taking a photo shown in FIG.6 may be implemented by the aforesaid handheld electronic device 1. Whenthe user turns on the vibration reduction function to take a photo,first of all, step S20 is performed to enter a camera mold. Afterwards,in step S22, the user covers the light sensing unit 14. Then, in stepS24, the processing unit 16 determines whether the light sensing unit 14is covered continuously for the predetermined time period and determineswhether the motion of the casing 10 is within plus and minus 1 degreeper second. When the light sensing unit 14 is covered continuously forthe predetermined time period and the motion of the casing 10 is withinplus and minus 1 degree per second, in step S26, the processing unit 16drives the camera unit 12 to take a photo. When the light sensing unit14 is not covered continuously for the predetermined time period or themotion of the casing 10 is beyond plus and minus 1 degree per second, goback to step S20. It should be noted that the other operation principlesof the method for taking a photo by the handheld electronic device ofthe invention are mentioned in the above and those will not be depictedherein again.

Furthermore, the control logic of the method for taking a photo by thehandheld electronic device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be implemented bysoftware. The software can be executed in any handheld electronicdevices with data processing function, such as a mobile phone, apersonal digital assistant, a tablet computer, etc. Needless to say,each part or function of the control logic may be implemented bysoftware, hardware or the combination thereof.

As mentioned in the above, when the vibration reduction function isturned off, the invention may determine whether to drive the camera unitto take a photo according to whether the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period (e.g. 1 second, 3seconds, etc.). When a user wants to use the handheld electronic deviceof the invention to take a photo, the user may cover the light sensingunit by a finger. At this time, the processing unit determines that thelight sensing unit has been covered. When the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period, the processingunit drives the camera unit to take a photo accordingly. Since the useronly has to cover the light sensing unit by the finger without any pressmotion, the invention can avoid vibrating or shaking the handheldelectronic device, so as to avoid taking a blurred photo due to out offocus, vibration or background shifting. Furthermore, when the vibrationreduction function is turned on, the invention may determine whether todrive the camera unit to take a photo according to whether the lightsensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined time periodand whether the motion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degreeper second. In other words, when the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period and the motion of thecasing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second, the processing unitdrives the camera unit to take a photo accordingly. On the other hand,when the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period but the motion of the casing is beyond plusand minus 1 degree per second, the processing unit will not drive thecamera unit to take a photo. Therefore, the invention can further avoidtaking a blurred photo if the user does not hold the handheld electronicdevice stably.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerousmodifications and alterations of the device and method may be made whileretaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the abovedisclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and boundsof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A handheld electronic device comprising: acasing; a camera unit disposed in the casing; a light sensing unitdisposed in the casing; and a processing unit disposed in the casing andelectrically connected to the camera unit and the light sensing unit,the processing unit determining whether the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for a predetermined time period, the processingunit driving the camera unit to take a photo when the light sensing unitis covered continuously for the predetermined time period.
 2. Thehandheld electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a motionsensing unit disposed in the casing and electrically connected to theprocessing unit, the motion sensing unit sensing a motion of the casing,the processing unit determining whether the motion of the casing iswithin plus and minus 1 degree per second, the processing unit drivingthe camera unit to take a photo when the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period and the motion of thecasing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second.
 3. The handheldelectronic device of claim 2, wherein the motion sensing unit is a gyro,a g-sensor or a combination thereof.
 4. The handheld electronic deviceof claim 2, further comprising a display unit disposed in the casing andelectrically connected to the processing unit, the display unitdisplaying a setting interface, the setting interface being used to turnon or turn off a vibration reduction function; when the vibrationreduction function is turned off, the processing unit determiningwhether to drive the camera unit to take a photo according to whetherthe light sensing unit is covered continuously for the predeterminedtime period; when the vibration reduction function is turned on, theprocessing unit determining whether to drive the camera unit to take aphoto according to whether the light sensing unit is coveredcontinuously for the predetermined time period and whether the motion ofthe casing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second.
 5. A method fortaking a photo by a handheld electronic device, the handheld electronicdevice comprising a camera unit, a light sensing unit and a processingunit, the processing unit being electrically connected to the cameraunit and the light sensing unit, the method comprising: covering thelight sensing unit; the processing unit determining whether the lightsensing unit is covered continuously for a predetermined time period;and the processing unit driving the camera unit to take a photo when thelight sensing unit is covered continuously for the predetermined timeperiod.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the handheld electronic devicefurther comprises a casing and a motion sensing unit, the camera unit,the light sensing unit, the processing unit and the motion sensing unitare disposed in the casing, the motion sensing unit is electricallyconnected to the processing unit, the method further comprises: themotion sensing unit sensing a motion of the casing; the processing unitdetermining whether the motion of the casing is within plus and minus 1degree per second; and the processing unit driving the camera unit totake a photo when the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period and the motion of the casing is within plusand minus 1 degree per second.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein themotion sensing unit is a gyro, a g-sensor or a combination thereof. 8.The method of claim 6, wherein the handheld electronic device furthercomprises a display unit disposed in the casing and electricallyconnected to the processing unit, the method further comprises: thedisplay unit displaying a setting interface, wherein the settinginterface is used to turn on or turn off a vibration reduction function;when the vibration reduction function is turned off, the processing unitdetermining whether to drive the camera unit to take a photo accordingto whether the light sensing unit is covered continuously for thepredetermined time period; and when the vibration reduction function isturned on, the processing unit determining whether to drive the cameraunit to take a photo according to whether the light sensing unit iscovered continuously for the predetermined time period and whether themotion of the casing is within plus and minus 1 degree per second.